SAT Tips for Parents

Last month, In our first installment of Why Choose the SAT, we busted some myths about taking the test. Aren’t you glad they did away with the penalty for guessing? This month, through my partnership with The College Board, I’m sharing SAT tips for parents and free resources for SAT prep. Because, helping your child get their best score doesn’t have to cost you an arm or a leg.

Yes, you read that right. There are FREE resources for SAT prep!

Tip 1: Know The Deadlines!

Let’s face it, no amount of prep – free or otherwise – is going to do you any good if you don’t know WHEN your child should be taking the test. This actually happened to us with our oldest daughter. Silly me, I relied on a teen to give me the details. Don’t be me!

Most students take the SAT in the spring of their junior year and again in August or the fall of their senior year. If your child hopes to take the March 2018 SAT, the deadline for registration if February 9th, 2018. I know getting those dates right and not missing deadlines was an issue in our house. Get more info on registration here.

Tip 2: Sign up for Official SAT Practice on Khan Academy

Official SAT Practice on Khan Academy is the best way to prepare for the SAT. It was created by the makers of the test, it’s personalized for each student, and it’s 100% free.

There are thousands of practice questions with instant feedback, video lessons, test taking tips and strategies, and 8 practice tests!

Fun Fact: A recent study shows that students who practice for 20 hours on Khan Academy gained an average of 115 points from the PSAT/NMSQT to SAT compared to those students who did not use Official SAT Practice.

So, get cracking. There is plenty of material out there for SAT prep.

Insider Info: Official SAT Practice is and always will be free for all students! For the first time there is equality of access to SAT preparation and I think that’s huge game changer for students nationwide.

Tip 3: Be Sure Your Student is Studying What THEY Need

Teens already feel quite a bit of pressure about the college admission process. You might be able to ease some of that by ensuring that they don’t over-study. Taking the PSAT/NMSQT can really help them focus on the areas they’ll need to improve. It’s a practice test usually offered at their school that will get them ready for the SAT.

Your student will get a personalized SAT study plan with Official SAT Practice on Khan Academy. By sharing their PSAT/NMSQT scores or taking the diagnostic quizzes, Khan Academy will pinpoint the skills they need to improve. This means they are spending their time on the areas that matter the most.

Official SAT Practice will guide them through lessons and give them quizzes along the way to test progress. This free SAT prep resource allows your student to move at their own pace, cutting down on stress and helping solidify the knowledge they’ll need to be successful. It will help them turn weaknesses into strengths.

Good tips, right? So why do I feel like your next question is going to be; Don’t you get what you pay for? I leave you with one last fun fact in answer to that question. More than 16,000 students in the class of 2017 who used the free Official SAT Practice saw score gains of 200 points or more from the PSAT/NMSQT to the SAT.

Stay tuned for one more article in this series and be sure to check out #ChooseTheSAT on twitter for more information from parents, experts, and more.